Cardiff?
by lilsherlockian1975
Summary: Sherlock doesn't like being the last to find out that his patholgist is leaving but Molly's made up her mind and nothing will change it! One shot***


**I own nothing, except the mistakes, having no Beta the mistakes are all mine. Once again this is the second time posting this story... my computer is having a hard time communicating with this site... why can't these two crazy cats just get along?**

Molly finished putting away the supplies and gave some random instructions to the interns that were hovering around her as she started toward her office when the door to the morgue swung open and fury wrapped up in a $2000.00 coat flew in.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" Sherlock said to the pathologist making her jump back. She was prepared for something, she should have known it would have been dramatic, but not quite this over the top. Now she just had compose herself and get through it.

"Ah, so you've found out. Took you long enough." She said putting down her bag and keys.

"How in God's name did you keep this from me?" He said with a half crazed look his eye, _he really didn't like being the last to know did he_?

"It wasn't easy but I'm quite practiced at being a secret keeper, you see I've done it before."

"Okay, cute. Then why, why wouldn't you tell?"

"You mean like you told me about being sent to your death, turn about _is_ fair play." The flash of hurt in Sherlock's eyes brought Molly out of her sudden rush of confidence and also reminded her that they weren't alone. "Hey, could you two go clean up the path lab for me, thanks." Molly took a deep shuddering breath.

"You can't do this, Cardiff? What could there possible be for you in _Cardiff_?"

"It's a good job Sherlock, an amazing opportunity, and most importantly a fresh start." She had started to walk away from him.

"Is this because of Tom?"

_Unbelievable_ "Oh it would so much easier if it was, but no poor Tom was just an innocent bystander in this mess. Please just let me go with out some big ugly scene where you tell me you won't work anyone else. Please."

"No Molly you have it wrong... I can't work with anyone else." Sherlock was pacing around running his fingers through his hair. He stopped suddenly and turned back to her, "I'll stop you, I'll tell them of your involvement in my fake death." Looking at her with desperation in his eyes.

Shaking her head sadly Molly said "I'll lose my license and then what, you'll lock me in 221C so I can perform autopsies in your basement? You know you wont do that, Sherlock just let me go."

"But why are you leaving, why do you need a _fresh start_?" He asked mockingly.

"Sherlock the last five years of my life have been... well difficult. Nothing has been remotely simple since the first time you swept through that door. I've been manipulated, demoralized, used and treated like utter shit. I dated a criminal mastermind, faked your death, and lied to all my friends and family. I watched you relapse and fake a relationship, get shot, kill a man, then get sent off into exile, and you didn't even have the decency to tell me good bye. And through all of that I still... No." She took a deep breath and turned around.

"Mol.."

"Just give me a minute, please." She said still turned away from him, "this isn't how this was suppose to go." she mumbled.

"Okay, listen. I was going to come to Baker Street tonight. I wasn't going to leave you with out a good bye, I wouldn't have done that to you, I couldn't have. So, here's what I was going to say... Thank you." She was smiling with unshed tears in her eyes and she was shaking just a bit. "Most of what I just said was difficult to go through but it was thrilling and I wouldn't change if I could. I wouldn't trade the last five years with you for anything in the world. You Sherlock Holmes are truly amazing and knowing you has been a beautiful gift that I will always treasure." The tears were falling now as Sherlock watched helplessly.

"But listen this is the important part, I know you could never love me, I understand I actually understood that a long time ago, but you _should_ love _someone_." She got closer and put her trembling hands on either side of his face. "You deserve to be loved but you have to let yourself accept it, okay? Sherlock please just let go, love isn't ugly it's not, it doesn't have to hurt." She looked down to gather her strength because this was killing her. "It can feel amazing, and sometimes, _sometimes_ it did. I am going to miss you but I will never forget you." She got up on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. "Goodbye Sherlock." She said as she walked out the door.

Sherlock didn't move, he couldn't move. It was like his feet were glued to the floor. Suddenly he realized he hadn't moved in so long that his legs were hurting and he looked at his watch... _thirty minutes_, he hadn't moved in thirty minutes? Why did his face feel weird? Crying... he'd been crying. _Oh MY GOD! She's gone... "Molly?"_ he whispered. _What am I going to do? Plan, need a plan_. He dipped into his mind palace and stayed there until something clicked and right out again. He grabbed his phone and called the only person who could help him in this instance...

"Mary... I need your help."

"What's wrong?"

"Molly, you have to help me, I have to talk to her."

"She's made up her mind Sherlock. You should start taking applications for new pathologists."

"I love her Mary."

**"JOHN! You owe me twenty quid!"**

Molly arrived at the Watson's house at 8pm, she really should be at home packing but couldn't say no to John when he said he really needed this and that saying goodbye to his friends had never been easy for him, so Molly being Molly she gave in.

"Hey Molls, let me take your coat." John said with a bright smile.

"Thanks, is Izzy in bed?"

"Ya, she's had a busy day, it's tough being three months old you know." John replied as they walked into the sitting room finding Mary.

"One last hurrah Molly!" Mary said giving her a big hug.

"This is just what I needed actually, I finally talked to Sherlock today... but I'm sure you two know about that by now." She said cutting apprising looks to her friends.

"Um, ya he mentioned it. Um, well yes of course he did." John said.

"Molly..."

"I know, but I don't want to relive it, it was bad enough the first time okay. Lets just enjoy our last evening together... sound good?" The Watsons were giving each other odd looks but Molly choose to ignore them. _The just feel sorry for me... no one will pity me in Cardiff, _She thought.

"Molly," Mary said handing her a glass of red wine. "You trust us, John and me... right?"

Molly giggled into her glass, "Of course Mary, why on earth would you ask that?"

"Well, we wanted to let you know that we had other motives for asking you over tonight."

"That sounds like the beginning of every bad porn film I've ever watched." Molly said laughing.

Mary laughed and John spit out his drink. "Jeeze, Molly Hooper don't say things like that!"

"Sorry John, trying to lighten the mood, it's slightly heavy in here. What's up with you two?"

"Molly please don't be mad..." John said his smile falling away as soon as Sherlock walked in from the kitchen he was looking at Molly and of course she was looking at him. She sat down her glass and got up from the sofa.

"You know I expected this from him, but you two... really? Mary? I told you what I needed to do and why... I confided in you. Why do I keep trusting people? I'm so simple." She was making her way to the door when Sherlock took her arm.

"Please, just ten minutes, that's all I ask then I will leave you alone... forever Molly Hooper." She took a deep breath, _this is not fair... but since when is anything to do with Sherlock Holmes fair... Just walk out the door Molly, be strong for once. You made your decision. Don't look at him, you look at him and it's all over. NO! You're turning around, don't turn around...oh Dear God... _

"Molly, please just listen to me." He still had a hold of her arm and she was looking right into his blue green eyes... those eyes that turned her into a stammering mess. She nodded her head, no way she was speaking right now. No, if he wanted to talk fine but she was not giving him the satisfaction of hearing her stutter right now.

"Mary, John if you would excuse us please, and thank you both for arranging this." He said as he let go of her arm and came back into the room proper. John and Mary made their exit and Molly sat down still not daring to look at Sherlock again. _Why in God's name was he doing this? Why did he have to make everything so painful_?

"Molly, your speech today affected me in many surprising ways. You thanked me? _Me_? I practically ruined your life and you still found it in your heart to thank me. There are few things in this world that surprise me Molly Hooper but time and time again you do so.

"You also pointed out all the ways I've wronged you over the years... the is no way I could ever make up for the hurt I have caused but please let me start by saying I'm truly sorry for every cruel remark, every manipulation every time I cut you down – you didn't deserve it." He was pacing and Molly had at some point stopped looking at her feet and looked up to watch him... he was wringing his hands, he looked about as unSherlocklike as she'd ever seen him look.

"Until today I wouldn't have been able to tell you why I did all those things to you, sure I'm an asshole to everyone but I've deliberately pushed you away when all you offered me was loyalty and friendship. I've been an unbelievable bastard to you but as you were saying those carefully selected words to me today it dawned on me what it means to be loved, truly and completely." Sherlock came over and sat next to Molly and took both of her hands in his, the look on her face was completely unreadable.

"You asked me to accept love... and I do now. I finally understand however, I will only accept it from you because I love you Molly Hooper, it's always been you, I was afraid and that's why I always pushed you away... I assume. I know you have no reason to believe me, you probably believe this just to be another lie to get you to stay but if you give me a chance I will spend the rest of my life proving how much you mean to me."

Molly sat completely motionless until she blinked and one then two then three tears fell from her eyes... she let out a deep breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "Me? You love me?" She said barely above a whisper. Then again held her breath...

"Yes."

"Oh." She said. "Sherlock?"

"Yes."

"I feel faint."

"JOHN!"

John and Mary came running down the stairs almost tripping over each other. John fell to the floor at Molly's feet. "Molly... are you okay? Look at me!" Molly looked at John or tried to when her vision tunneled and she fell over on the arm of the sofa.

"John! What's wrong with her?"

"Well she obviously passed out Sherlock... you freaked her out. You freaked me out a bit!"

"You were listening?"

"Of course we were you big idiot!" Mary said putting a cold flannel on Molly's forehead. "I was afraid you fuck the whole thing up, nice job by the way... it was lovely."

"If it was so lovely why did Molly just pass out for God's sake?"

"I think she hyperventilated." Mary said.

"We all saw her just before she passed out, she wasn't hyperventilating" Sherlock replied.

"No," John said chuckling "I think she was holding her breath too long... She'll be fine in just a moment. Look she's coming to."

"Molly, Molly!" Sherlock said pushing John out of the way (making him fall over onto his bum.)

"Oh, what happened?"

"Are you okay?" Sherlock asked.

"Ya, I think so... did I pass out?"

"Yes, John thinks you were holding your breath. Where you holding your breath?"

"Maybe, or I just had the most bizarre dream."

Mary laughed, "No love, it wasn't a dream Sherlock just confessed his undying love for you in our sitting room."

"Oh."

"Ya, you said that just before you passed out, don't do that again you scared me." Sherlock said wrapping his arm around her.

"Okay, just trying to get my head around this. I think you freaked me out a little."

"See I told you." John said.

"Do shut up John." Sherlock said to his best friend.

"Molly!?" Mary said "You are killing me! What are you going to do? Sherlock loves you, you going to stay here and have little creepy genius babies or run off to Cardiff and do... well what ever it is people do in Cardiff? Come on love... we got to know?"

Everyone was looking at Molly expectantly, she was feeling a little faint again but wrapped in Sherlock's arms felt amazing. She looked up at him, he looked so... sweet and kind of terrified at the same time. _I don't stand a chance here do I_? She reached up and touched Sherlock's face with her hand, just like she had earlier in the morgue, _I wish I wasn't doing this with an audience_, she thought, and she placed a kiss on those perfect lips it was sweet but lingered a bit longer than her goodbye kiss did.

"AWE" erupted from the Watsons.

"Okay, that's all you get... you two have had enough of a show tonight!" Sherlock said to the couple.

Molly suddenly wrenched herself out of Sherlock's arms, "I don't have a job or a flat! What have I done?"

"And of course, I have solutions to all of your problems." Sherlock said everyone eying him suspiciously.

"I was joking about performing autopsies in your basement Sherlock so don't ask."

"What?" John and Mary said at the same time.

"I'm sure you can get your job back at Barts, I know for a fact that they haven't hired your replacement and as for a flat..." He raised his eyebrows.

"You can't be serious?" John asked

"Maybe it's for the best, he needs a keeper she needs a flat." Mary said.

"With you, now?" Molly asked.

"Okay, we'll talk about this later... but I promise if you have any trouble with your job my brother owes you a favor so don't worry about that. Come on, we should talk, _alone_."

Mary and John followed them to the door, "So no Cardiff?" Mary asked while John and Sherlock were hailing a cab.

"No, it appears not. Mary Sherlock's loves me. Can you believe it?"

"Yes, I've known forever! Been driving me nuts!"

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, ask John. I always knew. I'm happy for you love, keep him in line. And I want to know all about the sex, I'm curious if he knows where everything goes."

"Mary!" Molly said turning to join Sherlock by the cab and wave goodbye to her friends.

**Alright, there you have it! Thanks for reading!**


End file.
